penalty shoot-out drama (The Guardian)
England go out after 32-penalty shoot-out drama
England U21s 1 - 1 Holland U21s (aet)England lost 13-12 on penalties
Jeremy Wilson at the Abe Lenstra stadiumThursday June 21, 2007The Guardian
With Chris Waddle in the stands and Stuart Pearce on the touchline, there was a cruel irony about the way England's Under-21 team exited from the semi-finals of a major international tournament on penalties.
The two veterans of Italia 90 looked on as one of the most extraordinary shoot-outs in recent memory unfolded in Heerenveen and eventually ended in further disappointment for England as Holland progressed to the final of the European Under-21 Championships. In all, 32 penalties were taken during the shoot-out, of which 25 were converted.
Defeat in this fashion is a familiar scenario but, in general, England showed great poise from the penalty spot after a match which had swung back and forth during a thrilling two hours.
For 50 minutes they were on course to reach the final for the first time since 1984 but their progress stalled when Maceo Rigters equalised Leroy Lita's first-half goal in the 89th minute. England, who were being watched by the head coach Steve McClaren, then survived most of extra-time with only 10 men.
With three substitutes already used, Nedum Onuoha hobbled off and Steven Taylor had to play on despite being seriously impeded with a foot injury. "We had lost a centre-half, two or three were booked and missing the final, but we soldiered on," said Pearce. "I am proud of the effort we put in."
The Dutch left-winger Royston Drenthe has been the tournament's most eye-catching player and he provided the greatest attacking threat during the opening minutes. A stepover and a drop of the shoulder left Justin Hoyte chasing shadows and he then provided a tempting cross which just eluded Rigters before Leighton Baines intervened.
On the right, Gianni Zuiverloon also looked dangerous on the overlap, although Onuoha and Newcastle's Taylor were both tackling well. Pearce, as ever, was living every challenge and indulged in some light-hearted banter with Dutch fans behind the technical area.
England had been guilty during the first half of too many hopeful long balls in the direction of Lita and David Nugent, but the tactic paid rather sudden dividends in the 39th minute.
Lita outmuscled Ron Vlaar and turned to smash a left-footed shot inside the near post of the Dutch goalkeeper Boy Waterman. It was England's first shot on target and it reduced the home crowd to a stunned silence. It was Lita's third goal of the tournament and he displayed further evidence of his growing confidence early in the second half when he curled a free-kick on to the outside of the post after Ashley Young had been impeded.
England generally looked secure at the back but their discipline wavered. Mark Noble, who has been outstanding throughout the tournament, conceded a foul and then instinctively blocked the attempt at a quickly taken free-kick. The referee, Knut Kircher, produced a yellow card, meaning the West Ham midfielder would have missed Saturday's final. Minutes later the captain, Nigel Reo-Coker, made a reckless challenge from behind on Roy Beerens to also pick up his second booking of the tournament.
As the minutes ticked down, Ryan Babel rifled a ball across the six-yard box and then Rigters wasted a shot from the edge of the area. He was on target, however, with less than two minutes remaining when from Ryan Donk's accurate header across goal he produced an overhead kick beyond Scott Carson to take it to extra-time. England were effectively down to nine men but Holland wasted chances, leading to the penalty shoot-out.
Young fired England's first penalty and was followed with an equally emphatic finish by James Milner. For Holland, Drenthe was first to flinch, but although Noble put England 3-1 ahead a miss by Hoyte meant sudden death. Matt Derbyshire, Anton Ferdinand, Scott Carson and then Liam Rosenior all scored before Reo-Coker had his effort blocked by Waterman. The drama, though, was still not over as Arnold Kruiswijk blazed over.
Derbyshire missed England's 15th penalty but amazingly Daniel de Ridder followed suit. Ferdinand then became the fourth English player to miss and Zuiverloon put Holland into the final.
England U21s 1 - 1 Holland U21s (aet)England lost 13-12 on penalties
Jeremy Wilson at the Abe Lenstra stadiumThursday June 21, 2007The Guardian
With Chris Waddle in the stands and Stuart Pearce on the touchline, there was a cruel irony about the way England's Under-21 team exited from the semi-finals of a major international tournament on penalties.
The two veterans of Italia 90 looked on as one of the most extraordinary shoot-outs in recent memory unfolded in Heerenveen and eventually ended in further disappointment for England as Holland progressed to the final of the European Under-21 Championships. In all, 32 penalties were taken during the shoot-out, of which 25 were converted.
Defeat in this fashion is a familiar scenario but, in general, England showed great poise from the penalty spot after a match which had swung back and forth during a thrilling two hours.
For 50 minutes they were on course to reach the final for the first time since 1984 but their progress stalled when Maceo Rigters equalised Leroy Lita's first-half goal in the 89th minute. England, who were being watched by the head coach Steve McClaren, then survived most of extra-time with only 10 men.
With three substitutes already used, Nedum Onuoha hobbled off and Steven Taylor had to play on despite being seriously impeded with a foot injury. "We had lost a centre-half, two or three were booked and missing the final, but we soldiered on," said Pearce. "I am proud of the effort we put in."
The Dutch left-winger Royston Drenthe has been the tournament's most eye-catching player and he provided the greatest attacking threat during the opening minutes. A stepover and a drop of the shoulder left Justin Hoyte chasing shadows and he then provided a tempting cross which just eluded Rigters before Leighton Baines intervened.
On the right, Gianni Zuiverloon also looked dangerous on the overlap, although Onuoha and Newcastle's Taylor were both tackling well. Pearce, as ever, was living every challenge and indulged in some light-hearted banter with Dutch fans behind the technical area.
England had been guilty during the first half of too many hopeful long balls in the direction of Lita and David Nugent, but the tactic paid rather sudden dividends in the 39th minute.
Lita outmuscled Ron Vlaar and turned to smash a left-footed shot inside the near post of the Dutch goalkeeper Boy Waterman. It was England's first shot on target and it reduced the home crowd to a stunned silence. It was Lita's third goal of the tournament and he displayed further evidence of his growing confidence early in the second half when he curled a free-kick on to the outside of the post after Ashley Young had been impeded.
England generally looked secure at the back but their discipline wavered. Mark Noble, who has been outstanding throughout the tournament, conceded a foul and then instinctively blocked the attempt at a quickly taken free-kick. The referee, Knut Kircher, produced a yellow card, meaning the West Ham midfielder would have missed Saturday's final. Minutes later the captain, Nigel Reo-Coker, made a reckless challenge from behind on Roy Beerens to also pick up his second booking of the tournament.
As the minutes ticked down, Ryan Babel rifled a ball across the six-yard box and then Rigters wasted a shot from the edge of the area. He was on target, however, with less than two minutes remaining when from Ryan Donk's accurate header across goal he produced an overhead kick beyond Scott Carson to take it to extra-time. England were effectively down to nine men but Holland wasted chances, leading to the penalty shoot-out.
Young fired England's first penalty and was followed with an equally emphatic finish by James Milner. For Holland, Drenthe was first to flinch, but although Noble put England 3-1 ahead a miss by Hoyte meant sudden death. Matt Derbyshire, Anton Ferdinand, Scott Carson and then Liam Rosenior all scored before Reo-Coker had his effort blocked by Waterman. The drama, though, was still not over as Arnold Kruiswijk blazed over.
Derbyshire missed England's 15th penalty but amazingly Daniel de Ridder followed suit. Ferdinand then became the fourth English player to miss and Zuiverloon put Holland into the final.
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